Technical Field
Embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein relate to cylinders of an engine and adjusting operation of the cylinders based on a knock sensor output.
Discussion of Art
A multi-cylinder engine includes a plurality of individual cylinders. Each cylinder combusts air and fuel to power the engine. Over time, individual cylinders and/or components coupled to the individual cylinders (e.g., exhaust valves) may become degraded. Further, since fueling may be individually controlled for each cylinder, fueling may become uneven between all the cylinders of the engine. If individual cylinders are not being fueled accurately (e.g., amount or timing of fuel injection), or cylinders become degraded, engine misfire may occur and/or the efficiency of the engine may decrease. Further, if the output of the cylinders varies such that the cylinders are unbalanced, this may put stress on engine components, such as the crankshaft, bearings, and/or cylinder connecting rods. While some engines may utilize individual cylinder pressure sensors for measuring in-cylinder pressure for cylinder balancing purposes, this may increase engine component costs, increase control complexity, and increase unreliability of in-cylinder pressure sensors exposed to high combustion gas pressures and temperatures.